Living as a Black
by luvuni
Summary: What would have happened if they had captured Peter Pettigrew on that fateful night? Sirius is free and adopts Harry. But when Death Eaters want revenge on Harry for vanquishing their Lord, will everyone survive? No Voldemort in this story, since Pettigrew wasn't around to find him. This is a story about Harry bonding with Sirius. Sirius/Remus.
1. Sweet Freedom

"Peter Pettigrew is to receive the Dementor's kiss in an hour. Sirius Black, you have hereby been released from all your charges. In reimbursement, we grant you the custody of young Harry James Potter, and 1'000'000 galleons. Enjoy your freedom," announced Cornelius Fudge with a scowl. Poor old Fudge was not happy that he'd been proven wrong for placing Sirius into Azkaban.

A loud whoop came from Sirius as he lurched himself into Remus Lupin's arms. The two guys shared a hug that lasted longer than most would think appropriate for two friends. However, it turns out that these two weren't just friends; they were lovers. Very few people knew about their relationship at the moment, but those who did were happy for the couple. If anyone looked closely, they could see the tears in the pair's eyes.

Among the crowd were the Ministry, Albus Dumbledore, Arthur Weasley, and thirteen year old Harry Potter who was hiding under his cloak of invisibility. Sirius had forbidden Harry from coming to the trial, just in case Sirius was found guilty and received the Dementor's kiss. The boy had understood his Godfather's reasoning, but still wished to be there anyways. So, Harry made a front to bar himself in his room at the Burrow the two weeks before the trial, and only come down for food (Sirius was kept in a holding cell at the Ministry). Everyone was under the pretense that he was still in the room, but he had truly snuck out earlier in the morning and went to the trial under his father's old cloak.

Over the two weeks spent in his room, he had researched Animagus and decided to attempt becoming one. It was just yesterday that Harry had succeeded in becoming an illegal Animagus, although, his form surprised him. Due to his Patronus being a stag, he'd been under the assumption that he would take the form of one as well. Instead, he had been turned into a huge black dog like Sirius'. Except, since Harry was younger, his form was still an older puppy and smaller than Sirius. No one knew that Harry was now an unregistered Animagus except for Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Both had helped him with the studying, rather grudgingly mind you, but helped him nonetheless. Harry had plans to inform Sirius and Remus when he moved in with them.

The thought that Harry was now going to live with two adults who actually cared for him was unbelievable. After being neglected by the Dursley's for thirteen years, he had no idea what living with parental figures would be like. Would he still be expected to do the cooking and the cleaning? Would his friends still be banned from visiting him? Will he be able to do his schoolwork during the day, instead of at night under his covers? These questions seem so easily answered by everyone, except young Mr. Potter who had no idea what it was like to live with people who loved him.

Harry was still a bit wary too though. After all, he had only just met Sirius several weeks ago. He did trust Remus though, as he was Harry's favorite professor. A part deep down inside him, told him that he knew and could trust his Godfather; that part recognized Sirius from when Harry was a baby. But he knew it was going to be some time before he reciprocated Sirius' love._ I just hope I can be the son he wants me to be._ Harry would never want Sirius to replace his father, but he knew that his father would accept his view of Sirius as another father.

Knowing that Sirius and Remus would soon head to the Burrow to inform Harry of the good news, he quickly went to the fireplace and threw in some Floo Powder. Stepping inside, he looked around to make sure he was alone before saying "The Burrow," firmly. Spinning like a top, Harry passed several fireplaces before arriving at the Burrow. Flying out of it ungracefully, he stumbled into the Weasley's living room, grateful that no one was in the room. Still with the cloak draped around him, he fled upstairs and into his room where Hermione and Ron were waiting for him. As he closed the door behind him and took off his cloak, Ron and Hermione both spoke up.

"Is he free? Did he receive the Kiss?" Ron demanded.

"Tell us Harry, what happened?!" Hermione shrieked. Harry grinned at her, telling both of them all they needed to know. "He's free!"

The three friends shared an enormous hug as Harry recounted everything that had occurred at the trial.

"Wow. So you're finally going to have a home and adults who like you," Ron said dumbly. Hermione slapped him hard across the arm. "Bloody hell, what was that for?!"

Hermione glared at him. "Can you be anymore insensitive? Harry already had a home at Hogwarts, and many of the professors liked him. The only thing that's changing is he's getting a new home with two parental figures who _love _him."

"Thanks Hermione. I just hope that it will all work out. I do feel bad though because as soon as Sirius is set free, he's getting saddled with a teenage boy," Harry muttered as he looked out the window, waiting to see Sirius and Remus Apparate.

A hand was placed on his shoulder, and he turned to face Hermione. "Harry," she chided. "Sirius loves you, and wouldn't want you to live anywhere but under his roof. Don't think of yourself as a burden, but instead a blessing that can help him through this rough time. I mean, after being in Azkaban for so long, he's going to go through some troubling times, and he is going to need both you and Remus to help him."

"Thanks Hermione," Harry said softly as he smiled gratefully at his friend. "You're right, as always."

"Why do you sound surprised about that?" Hermione scoffed at him while Ron snorted.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Sirius and Remus appear outside of the Burrow. "Time to go greet Sirius, and remember, I was never at that trial," Harry said firmly before taking off out of the Burrow, Ron and Hermione at his heels. Bursting out of the Burrow door, Harry put a large grin on his face as he stopped in front of Sirius and Remus. "You're free?"

When Sirius nodded with a huge smile, Harry surprised both him and his Godfather when he hugged him. "Thank God!" Ron voiced from behind them as Harry released Sirius, both blushing a bit.


	2. Apologetic Dogs

That evening Harry sat at the large table in the Burrow along with all of the Weasleys (minus Bill and Charlie), Hermione, Sirius, and Remus. The amount of the food at the table was phenomenal; there was chicken, roast beef, potato, carrots, turnip, salads, pumpkin pie, and flagons of pumpkin juice. Everyone began serving themselves, when Mrs. Weasley turned to Harry. "Dear, aren't you going to take more than that?" She was frowning at Harry's portions of food which barely took up half of his plate. Glancing over, he looked at how everyone, including Ginny, had at least double what he had.

"This is plenty Mrs. Weasley, thank you," Harry said graciously, not liking the attention of everyone staring at him.

"Nonsense, you're a growing boy and should be eating more than that," she chided him.

"Leave 'im alone mum," Ron said through a mouthful of food. Harry looked at him gratefully as Mrs. Weasley leaned back in a huff. Risking a glance at Sirius, Harry was unable to read the expression on his face. Shrugging mentally, he ate his dinner while getting lost in thought.

_Tonight's the night. I have to tell them about me being an Animagus or else I'll chicken out later. I hope that Sirius and Remus won't be mad at me, as that would be hypocritical of them. This gift will come in handy when I'm older, but they'll find out sooner or later, and I'll get in less trouble if I tell them now._

As soon as everyone finished their meals, Harry spoke up. "I have something to tell all of you; except Hermione and Ron who already know."

Everyone grew silent as soon as Harry spoke. "What is it Harry?" Mr. Weasley inquired.

Ron and Hermione looked at each other and then at Harry. "Are you sure you want to tell everyone here Harry?" Ron asked, earning him a look from his mom.

"I trust everyone here enough, and you all deserve to know. However, I'd rather it stay a secret between us." When everyone nodded, Harry continued. "I did something over those two weeks in my room, and I know I probably shouldn't have done it, especially at my age, but what's done is done."

Standing up, Harry allowed the transformation to occur. Where he once stood, was now a large black young dog. Everyone, other than Ron and Hermione, gasped and stood up. "HARRY!" Mrs. Weasley inhaled sharply.

"By God, Harry, what have you done?" Remus said exasperated.

Harry's tail clamped between his legs as he cowered from the angry adults. Sirius' disappointed and angry expression caught Harry right in the heart. Sirius opened his mouth to speak and raised his hand as he did so. But Harry misread the raising of the hand, and was under the impression that Sirius going to hit him, much like the Dursley's had done to him as a child. Sirius saw Harry flinch when he raised his hand and his expression turned sad. Before he could say anything, Harry turned around and left the dining room. "Harry!" Ron and Hermione's voices followed him as he ran back to the room, still in canine form. He felt safer as a dog; his senses were better.

He could hear everyone downstairs arguing. "Why'd you go and yell at him mum?" Ron said loudly.

"You use a nicer tone with me young man. What Harry did was dangerous, and to think you two helped him!" Mrs. Weasley snapped.

"What would you have done if something went wrong with the transformation?" Remus inquired in a softer voice than Mrs. Weasley's. "We aren't going to punish Harry or anything of the sort. He just needs to realize that what he did was dangerous, and foolish."

Harry heard a heavy thump, the sound of someone collapsing in a chair. "He thought I was going to hit him," Sirius' pained voice choked out. "Why would he think that I was going to hit him?!" His voice grew anxious as if a realization settled upon him. Harry felt guilt flood through him at Sirius' heartbroken tone. He then could hear Mrs. Weasley usher all the children from the dining room and into the living area.

"Sirius, it's up to Harry to tell you about his childhood, but don't blame him for being nervous," Hermione's voice said before Harry could hear her and the Weasley children going into the living room. He continued listening to the adults.

"But how could he have thought I was going to harm him? I'd sooner beat myself than hurt him, my own Godson. Dear God, I shouldn't have let Hagrid take him to the Dursleys," Sirius moaned. Harry's heart hurt some more and he knew he should go downstairs, especially since Sirius seemed to have forgotten all about Harry being an illegal Animagus. Standing up, Harry slowly moseyed downstairs, listening to Remus consoling Sirius.

"You can't blame yourself Padfoot. What's done is done, and we can only give Harry a good future, and we'll overlook this one mistake," Remus said. As Harry poked his doggy head into the room, he saw Molly and Arthur leaving through the other dining room entrance. Remus had his arms wrapped around Sirius from behind, and he was standing while Sirius sat.

Harry let out a low whine to announce his arrival before slowly entering the doorway. With his head hung low, and tail clamped between his legs, he knew he was a sorry sight. Remus and Sirius' heads jerked up at the sound he made, and he saw their sad expressions as they took in his apologetic sight. Walking over slowly, Harry watched to see if there were any sudden changes in the two adults. "Harry, I'm sorry," Sirius muttered and he looked sullen. Harry wasn't quite sure what he was apologizing for.

Lifting his head, he tilted it to the side. He wagged his tail once, loped up to Sirius and jumped onto his lap before doggy-hugging his Godfather. Thankfully, he was lighter in this form so he didn't crush Sirius. Harry felt Sirius wrap his arms around him, and he also noticed Remus join in. When they were done hugging it out, Harry jumped down and transformed back. "I'm sorry about what I did, but I don't regret it," Harry said bluntly as he looked down.

"And it was a bit hypocritical for us to get mad about you becoming illegal Animagus, considering I did the same thing, along with your father," Sirius said, watching his Godson carefully. "We're both sorry. However, next time you wish to go and do something like this, come talk to us about it _first_."

Nodding, Harry bid goodnight to both adults before shifting back into dog form and running up to bed. Being a canine felt so right to him, that he wanted to remain in that form for the night. Lying in his bed next to Ron's, he quickly fell asleep.


	3. Poor Pitiful Potter

It was around three 'o' clock in the morning when Ron was woken up by a loud scream. Shooting out of bed out of pure instinct, he latched onto his wand at turned around to the direction of the sound. It then struck him in the head like a pile of bricks. _Harry's having a nightmare; he must have changed back into his human form during his sleep. _Glancing over at Harry's bed, Ron's heart went out to his best friend when he saw the sorry state of him. Harry was covered in sweat and was tangled up in his bed sheets. Moans of pain and sorrow escaped his lips as he tossed and turned in his sleep. For a brief moment Ron wondered if he should get Sirius or an adult, when Harry let out a piercing yell.

The thundering sounds of racing footsteps sounded from beneath the floor. Shaking Harry's shoulders, Ron quickly attempted to wake him before the adults got there. He knew how much Harry loathed waking others because of his nightmares, so Ron knew that he would want to be woken up before the adults arrived. "Come on Harry, wake up!" Ron ordered as he tapped Harry across the cheek lightly.

Harry's eyes flew open and he sat up quickly, banging heads with Ron. "AGH! Ron! What are you doing leaning over my bed like that?" Harry snapped, rubbing his sore forehead, much like his friend was. Reaching over, he grabbed his glasses and slipped them on.

"Waking you up from a nightmare," Ron snapped back. "The adults are on their way up, since you were yelling."

A blush began forming on Harry's cheeks as he looked away. "Oh, sorry Ron."

"'s all right," his friend responded just before their bedroom door flew open. In the doorway stood Sirius who had his wand at the ready and looked extremely worried. Behind him was Mrs. Weasley with curlers in her hair, and Remus who looked really tired.

"What's wrong?" Sirius demanded, looking between the two teenage boys.

Harry looked apologetic. "Just a nightmare. I guess I forgot to put the silencing charm around my bed last night, sorry to disturb you." Averting his eyes from the adults, he was stunned when a pair of arms wrapped around him. Naturally he stiffened. Usually after having a nightmare, his guardians (the Dursley's) would punish him for waking them up. He was unused to having an adult comfort him.

"Prongslet," Sirius murmured into his hair. "You may have used a silencing charm here or even at Hogwarts, but there will be no such thing happening when you come live under my roof! We are going to be discussing your nightmares whenever they happened, as in is unwise to keep them to yourself."

Remus and gawked at Sirius. "When did you get so smart, Pads?" Remus choked out, his jaw gaping open at his boyfriend.

"Do _not _nickname me after a feminine product!" Sirius snapped, releasing Harry and turning to face his werewolf. "And as for your question, I've always been smart. You guys just failed to see it." Everyone snorted at this, except Remus who let out a hearty chuckle.

Sirius turned around and grabbed Harry's wrist. "Come, it's time to show you my ritual for dealing with nightmares!" Before Harry could object, Sirius apparated them down into the kitchen with a loud _crack_! Vaguely, as he waited for the nausea to pass, he noticed Sirius push him down onto one of the kitchen chairs before going into the kitchen and grabbing some mugs. Watching his Godfather, he was intrigued to see that he was making hot chocolate. Remus came down beside them and asked for a cup as well.

Once they were all seated and sipping their hot chocolate, Sirius' face grew firm. "Now, tell me about this nightmare of yours."

Shifting uncomfortably, Harry felt that he did not want to share his nightmare out loud. Remus noticed how he stiffened so he murmured softly "Harry, keeping your nightmares to yourself will do nothing to stop them. You need to discuss them so that we can set your mind at ease. Allow us to help you relieve yourself of that burden." Sirius nodded vigorously in agreement.

Letting out a sigh, Harry began to tell the tale of his nightmare.

_Harry appeared in a dark room with tile flooring. He was seated upon a row of stands overlooking a figure that stood in the center. All along the wall were rows upon rows of Ministry members, all glaring furiously at the figure in the center. As the room grew a bit lighter, Harry's heart nearly stopped as he saw that the figure was none other than Sirius, and he was surrounded by Dementors. Harry tried to get up to go to his Godfather, but found that he was unable to move. _

_"__Sirius Black, you have been found guilty of betraying Lily and James Potter to Voldemort, and then you tried to pin the blame on the innocent Peter Pettigrew!" Cornelius Fudge's voice rang across the courtroom. Harry's heart filled with dread as he tried to shout out that Fudge was wrong. He found that his voice didn't work; all he could do was watch. Fudge continued, "Dementors, you may give him the Kiss."_

_Tears pooled over Harry's cheeks as he was forced to watch Sirius have his soul sucked out by the cursed black cloaked monsters. Ice began to flow through his veins as he watched his Godfather's body fall to the ground, unmoving. Fudge's voice continued. "Harry James Potter will be returning to the Dursley's immediately." Harry could hardly care. Sirius was gone! The tears kept coming strong as someone latched onto his arm, and they apparated at the Dursley's._

_The next thing he knew, he was standing outside Number 4 Privet Drive and Uncle Vernon loomed over him evilly. "No Godfather to save you now!" his uncle spat viciously. "Poor pitiful Potter. Not even your own Godfather wanted you!" _

_"__That's not true!" Harry shouted through his tears. Before he could blink, Uncle Vernon's face grew purple before he grabbed Harry by the scruff of his neck and through him into the house. Slamming the door behind them, his uncle snarled._

_"__You freak! No one in their right mind would want you! Your own Godfather probably welcomed death so he wouldn't have to put up with you. You're an abomination, and you should have died along with your ruddy parents!" Punches and kicks rained mercilessly down upon Harry, as the poor boy curled in upon himself. _

_"__No, no, no…" Harry muttered over and over again as the blows continued. His blood soaked the carpet and the pain drowned on. The pain rivaled that of the Cruciatus curse. _

As Harry finished telling Remus and Sirius about his latest nightmare, he watched as the color left both of their faces. Meanwhile, he was still trying to keep the tears from spilling over. "Harry," Sirius voice broke the silence. "Did your uncle really treat you like that?"

Harry didn't know whether to lie or not. _Would Sirius do something rash if I told him that was exactly how he was treated growing up? _But Harry needn't think about it, because his expression told Sirius all he needed to know.

"My God!" Sirius murmured. "I'll kill him, I really will!"

"No!" Harry gasped out. "Then they really will lock you up in Azkaban. You mustn't do anything; it's over anyways. I'm not going back there, right?"

The two adults looked appalled. "Of course you're not going back, pup," Sirius said soothingly as he wrapped his arms around Harry. "I'd sooner kiss Snape before letting you go back there!"

Harry cringed at the image of Snape kissing his Godfather. He shuddered at the thought before his mind wandered to the two nicknames that Sirius has called Harry within the last several hours. _Prongslet, and Pup_. Remus spoke up, pulling Harry from his thoughts. "We both care for you Harry and we would never send you back there. I still can't believe they would dare do that though! Retched muggles."

"Now, I think you better run off to bed. Oh, and _no_ silencing charms!" Sirius said sternly before pulling Harry in for another hug. Remus hugged Harry afterwards.

"Thank you, both of you," Harry said before heading upstairs back to bed.

Sirius sighed and hugged Remus firmly. "I'm worried about him Moony," Sirius said into Remus' neck.

"Me too, Padfoot; but the only thing we can do is be there for him," Remus replied back before tilting Sirius' chin up. "Now, let's get back to bed ourselves."

Sirius kissed Remus gently on the mouth before pulling away. "We may need to use a silencing charm ourselves," Sirius said with a wicked grin.

Remus chuckled and pulled his boyfriend up to bed.


	4. Sleep the Day Away

The warm pillow under Harry's cheek felt wonderful as he woke up the following morning. After his late-night chat with Sirius and Remus, he was shocked to discover that he hadn't had another nightmare after he went back to bed. Feeling comfortable and content for the first time in a long time, he cuddled further into the blankets until he saw the clock on the wall. Lurching out of bed, he gasped "It can't really be 4 'o' clock in the afternoon, can it?!" Looking over, he saw that Ron's bed was empty and had been made.

Standing up, he slipped on his glasses and quickly changed into some clean clothes. After a quick glance in the mirror, and a futile attempt at flattening his hair, he headed downstairs. The Burrow was alive and warm at this time in the afternoon, and Harry found it shocking that he had slept in so long. He walked into the living room, and was welcomed by the sound of his name echoing around the room. "'bout time you woke up 'arry!" Ron said from the couch where he sat next to Percy and his father.

"Seriously Harry, you sleep more than Crookshanks!" Hermione chided from her seat next to Mrs. Weasley and Ginny.

After a few more greetings from the twins, Harry noticed that Remus and Sirius weren't in the room. Catching his confused look, Mrs. Weasley smiled and said "Harry, dear. Sirius went to go get a few things in order, along with Remus. I believe it has something to do with where you three will be going to live."

Harry nodded his thanks before his stomach grumbled loudly. "Ah, Harry, you must be hungry after catching up on your lack of sleep," Mr. Weasley said with a grin. "There is pumpkin pie on the counter; you can help yourself to a slice."

"Thank you," Harry murmured, slightly embarrassed as he walked into the kitchen and got a slice of pie. He sat down at the table and was soon joined by Ron and Hermione.

"That was one nightmare you had last night," Ron said bluntly.

Hermione scowled at the red head before saying "That talk with Sirius and Remus helped though, didn't it?"

Harry nodded as he ate a bite of his pie. "Yah, surprisingly it did. I actually managed to have a dreamless sleep for the rest of the night. Although, next time would one of you wake me up at a decent time please. I don't want to sleep the days away and end up nocturnal."

His friends laughed. "Oh Harry, we wouldn't dream of waking you up if you were actually having a dreamless sleep. It's so great having Sirius around helps you sleep better."

A grumbling sound emanated from Harry. "Don't make me sound like a dependent child, Hermione."

"Well," she said sternly. "There is nothing wrong with needing an adult around to help you with things. You've been deprived of something that we all take for granted, so you best smarten up and learn to love it. Sirius will be around for a long time and will always put himself before you, and that does not make you a dependent child!" With a loud huff, the bushy haired teen crossed her arms.

"She's right you know," Ron said as Harry finished off his pie.

"I know," Harry grumbled.

Hermione leaned forward, her face growing serious. "Your dream… it wasn't about Voldemort was it?"

A loud hiss came from Ron. "Don't say his name!" Hermione ignored him and regarded Harry with a piercing gaze.

Harry shook his head in response. "No, it wasn't about Voldemort." Another hiss came from Ron, and it was once again ignored. "It's the same one that I have about Sirius and then it grew into the dream about Uncle Vernon. It had nothing to do with Voldemort."

Ron moaned. "Would you please _stop _saying his bloody name?"

"Fear of the name increases fear of the thing itself," Hermione snapped before turning to Harry. "It's a good thing then that it had nothing to do with Voldemort. Perhaps he won't be coming back again."

"I seriously hope you are right, Hermione," Harry muttered as he carried his dishes over to the sink, where the enchanted rag and towel began to wash them for him. Meanwhile, Ron had his hands clasped over his ears and looked rather pale. _I'm going to have to get Ron used to Voldemort's name; this is just ridiculous. _


	5. Malicious Doings

For the rest of the day, all was quiet at the Burrow. The Weasley twins and Percy had gone out to Diagon Alley with Mr. Weasley, while Ginny and Mrs. Weasley cooked a late supper. Harry, Hermione, and Ron spent their free time outside chasing garden gnomes. It proved useful for Harry to chase them in his Animagus form. When he would catch one, one of his friends would shake it and then fling it out of the yard. They enjoyed their peaceful day out in the sunshine without a care in the world. Meanwhile, Remus and Sirius were out at their new house setting everything up for Harry's return. All in all, it was a peaceful day for the group.

However, somewhere within the depths of London, a great gathering of dark cloaked figures stood around a grave. Encrypted on the grave, was the name _Tom Riddle._ The figures held their heads low as they bowed to the memorial of their master, Lord Voldemort. The Dark Lord was nearly vanquished by Harry Potter, and they had no idea where to find their master. Many of their fellow members were still locked up in that retched prison, Azkaban. Any of the other members who were not among them, had dismissed all ties with the Dark Lord, and the figures were going to make them pay for their denouncement.

One figure stepped forward within the circle and lowered his hood. He was not an attractive fellow; he was big and burly, with matted grey hair and whiskers. Vicious did not even begin to describe the man… if he even could be considered one; he was a werewolf. His teeth were pointed and his nails were long and yellow. Many cringed at the sight of his face, wishing for him to put his hood back up. In a low gravelly voice, he spoke. "I, Fenrir Greyback, was among the many of you whom believed our Lord to be dead. Even now, the Lord lives but is inaccessible to us. It is our duty, as his followers, to avenge our Lord and carry on in his name!"

The crowd mumbled in agreement. Another figure stepped forward and lowered his hood. It was Lucius Malfoy. "And who will lead us on such a mission? Certainly you couldn't, as you'd turn on us once a month." More murmurs echoed around the circle.

"I will lead you," announced a sturdy male voice from deep within the circle. This figure was the tallest and broadest of the circle. Lowering his hood slowly, many gasped as they took in the man's marred features. Running along his face were five scars that looked like something had raked claws down his forehead to his chin. His hair was a deep brown and fell to his shoulders in a shaggy cut. This man couldn't have been older than 30. "My name is Caine Renwick, and I was chosen by the Dark Lord to serve in his place."

"You?!" scoffed another figure. "What makes you think you have any right to tell us our great Lord chose you? Lies. We have no proof that you were chosen. None of us recognize you." Before the man could take down his hood, a shout echoed through the air.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" The man dropped dead, his face still hidden from view. Caine Renwick tucked his wand back into his robes as the Death Eaters gaped at him. He pulled up his sleeve and showed them the Dark Mark. "I have been chosen and I will guide you on our revenge! Together we shall destroy Harry Potter and everyone he cares about. Dumbledore will die, and we will strive on in the Lord's name! Our Lord was vanquished and more than likely will not return to us, so we shall achieve his goal, but first, Potter must die, along with Sirius Black."

Cheers erupted among the crowd, along with many shouts of agreement. Greyback spoke up when everyone grew silent. "Very well, we'll place our trust in you to get us our Lord's revenge. However, I make it clear. If there comes a time when we come face to face with Remus Lupin, he is mine to destroy. No one is to interfere."

"You may get Lupin," hissed Renwick, "but Sirius Black is mine, along with Harry Potter."

"Arthur Weasley and his pathetic wife are mine to murder," Lucius Malfoy spat. That is how the night went for the Death Eaters; everyone picking which person was theirs to kill and torture. It was a night filled with malicious and dark thoughts.


	6. Dream a Little Nightmare

"I guess Remus and Sirius won't be getting back tonight," Harry said as he continued gazing out the window for any sight of his guardians returning. "What if they're in trouble? Do you think–"

"Harry!" Hermione snapped for the fifth time that evening. "Would you stop brooding? They're perfectly fine, and are probably having a romantic escapade at the new house."

A small smile broke out on Harry's face. "I didn't need that picture Hermione. Thanks for that." He turned and glanced out the window once more before he felt a sharp tug on the back of his jacket. Turning around, he looked down into the eyes of Ron's little sister, Ginny.

"Please stop worrying," Ginny said; her face the color of her hair. "Mr. Sirius and Professor Lupin will be back tomorrow. It's eleven-thirty and mom is going to have a cow if she realizes we're all still up."

Smiling down at Ron's sister, Harry nodded and sat down on his bed. The girls bid him and Ron goodnight before leaving the room. "At least Ginny's not so shy around ya anymore, ay 'arry?" Ron said, getting into his own bed.

Harry chuckled once as he took off his glasses and turned out the lights. He crawled under his bed covers and asked "Ron, is it bad that I'm so worried? I mean, do you get worried when your parents are gone out a long time?"

A sigh emanated from his friend. "There's nothin' wrong with worryin' 'arry, but no, I don't get worried about them too often. Just try not to get yourself to stressed out, 'k? Sirius wouldn't want you to be losin' sleep over him or anythin'."

"You're right Ron. Night."

"Night 'arry."

Harry lay gazing up at the ceiling for a long time. _Sirius, Remus, why did neither of you send owls then to tell us where you would be for the night? Did you not realize that I would worry? What if something went wrong while they were out? What if… _Harry's thoughts trailed off as a realization struck him. _Will I end up having nightmares tonight? I best put a silencing charm around my bed just in case. _

Reaching over, Harry grabbed his wand from the nightstand and muttered: "_Silencio_." Placing his wand back down, he rolled onto his side and fell into a troubled sleep.

_"__Hello?" Harry's voice called out as he stood in a cemetery. In front of him was a large statue of a cloaked figure. Looking down, he recoiled as he read the name upon the stone: Tom Riddle. Jerking backwards, Harry tripped and landed in a heap on the ground. Beyond the cemetery, he could hear the howling of a werewolf. Something about the howl sounded familiar. "Remus?" _

_Shifting into his dog form, Harry silently crawled towards the sound until a scream of pain echoed through his ears. _Sirius! _Running forward at full speed, he flew across the cemetery to where he saw a circle of darkly cloaked figures laughing. From within the circle, Harry could hear Sirius' cries of pain. Lunging at the circle members, he knocked his way inside and saw his Godfather collapsed on the dirt as one of the cloaked figures performed a pain-inducing curse on him. _

_With a loud growl of malice, Harry attacked the figure that was placing the curse on Sirius. A chuckle came from the man as he ended the spell. Sirius' screaming stopped as well. The figure pulled down his hood. A shudder ran through Harry as he took in the man's wrecked face. All along the length of his were five scars that looked like an animal or something had scratched him deeply. Brown hair fell to his shoulders in a shaggy matted mess. A look of evil joy was written on his face. Harry's fur bristled as he watched the man._

_"__Harry, so glad you could join us!" the man chuckled evilly. "I'm Caine Renwick, and I don't suppose you've heard of me." Harry could hear Sirius groan as the silence drowned on. He growled at the man as he backed up so he was standing over his Godfather._

_Caine Renwick laughed again. "Please transform Harry so we can discuss matters civilly."_

_Harry weighed it over in his head before transforming back, wand in hand. "Where's Remus? I heard his howl." _

_"__He's being held up by Greyback at the moment, but that's not what we're going to talk about. I am the Dark Lord's successor my dear Harry Potter, and I will kill you when we meet." At Harry's confused face Renwick continued. "You're dreaming Harry; I'm only here to show you what I'm going to do to those you care about. _Crucio_!" _

_A million hot daggers seemed to plunge into Harry at that moment as pain he'd never experienced before filled his mind and body. He'd heard of this curse before, Sirius had mentioned it once. A loud yell of pain escaped Harry's lips as the pain dragged on. Half a minute passed, than a minute until Renwick stopped. Harry lay on the ground shaking and panting. "Now watch Harry Potter as you see what I will do to your Godfather when we finally meet. _Avada Kadavra!_" _

_A bright green light struck Sirius, and Harry mustered up enough strength to scream as he watched his Godfather get murdered. _It's not real, _Harry thought to himself over and over again, but it did nothing to stop the screams or the tears that fell. "SIRIUS! NO!" _

Then Harry woke up.


	7. Determination to Protect

Sirius and Remus got back to the Weasley's around 7 'o' clock the following morning. They had gotten… distracted… at their new house, and hadn't gotten up until 6. As soon as they apparated, they knew something was wrong. Molly Weasley was standing outside with her husband and children, except for Ron. Hermione was also missing, as was Harry. Molly and Ginny both had tears in their eyes as they sat outside on their porch. All of them jumped when they heard the crack, signaling Sirius' and Remus' apparition. "What's happened?" Sirius all but shouted as he and Remus ran up to the family. Molly opened her mouth to answer but was cut off by a piercing yell that came from within the house.

"ARGH!" It was Harry's scream. All the color left Remus and Sirius' faces before they booked it inside the house and up the stairs. The sight that met them was horrifying. Ron and Hermione were shaking Harry roughly while said boy was yelling in obvious pain. His whole body was shaking and his face was covered in sweat.

"Dear God, it's the cruciatus curse," Remus gasped as he and Sirius took in the sight. "What's going on?"

"He's been having a nightmare and he's been yelling in his sleep," Hermione said, tears pouring over her cheeks as she turned away from her friend. "Just a few minutes ago it got this bad."

Sirius stood over Harry's bed and began to murmur to Harry. "Come on Prongslet, you can fight this. You need to wake up now! We're both here to help you through this, but you need to wake up. Please, please, please Harry." A tear trickled down Sirius' cheek.

Suddenly Harry's body lurched as he shouted "SIRIUS! NO!" Then his eyes flew open.

"Harry!" everyone said at once, surprising the shaking boy. Tears filled Harry's eyes as he laid his head back onto his pillow. Reaching up, Harry ran a hand through his hair before shooting to his feet. The room began to spin so he grabbed onto the bed post. Sirius grabbed onto Harry's shoulder, causing the boy to flinch.

"Take it easy Harry," Sirius said softly as he pushed the boy back onto the bed.

Hermione gasped and spoke up. "Harry, what's that on your arm?" Everyone looked down at Harry's arm where a fresh wound was bleeding. Etched into his arm was the phrase: _I will kill everyone you care about. _Tears spilled over Harry's cheeks as he flipped his arm over to hide it.

"Harry, what was your dream about?" Remus said as he knelt in front of Harry.

Harry shook his head frantically as fear filled his eyes. "Caine... Caine Renwick," was all that Harry could force from his lips. A dark look passed over Sirius' face. "Who is he?"

"Caine was a follower of the Dark Lord, and a few years under us when we went to Hogwarts. Did he do this to you?" Remus asked as he wrapped Harry's arm up in some gauze.

Harry was still shaking. "Y-yes. He used the C-cruciatus."

"That bastard!" Sirius shouted as he stood up, frantically running his hands over his face.

"Sirius," Remus chided softly.

"S-Sirius, why d-does that man hate you so much?" Harry asked quietly. Ron and Hermione sat next to Harry, offering him comfort just by being beside him.

"He must have visited you in your dreams for you to know him, that wasn't just your genuine nightmare." Sirius said to himself before answering Harry's question. "Caine Renwick was – is – a Death Eater who was one of Voldemort's favorites. During one of my strolls through London, I came across a man with the Dark Mark. He introduced himself as Caine Renwick before I attacked him as a dog. Those scars on his face came from me."

Harry inhaled sharply as he took in that bit of information. Sirius continued. "Needless to say, him and I didn't really have a friendly relationship during school either. We Marauders had pulled countless pranks on him as a kid, and when I scarred his face, that was the last time I ever saw him. To think that he's still alive and is able to contact you in your dreams is a terrifying thought… What happened during that nightmare?"

Still shaking from the aftereffects of the curse, Harry shook his head. A part deep inside him didn't want to tell Sirius what he'd seen as it would cause people to watch him more closely and worry. _No, it's safer if they don't know_. "I c-can't say," Harry croaked out as he tried to stop his shaking.

"Hermione, Ron, can you give us a few minutes?" Remus asked softly. "You can tell your folks, Ron, that they can all come back inside but not up here."

"Certainly Professor," Hermione said as she tugged Ron from the room.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Sirius and Remus engulfed Harry in a hug. "It's okay Harry," Remus murmured as he soothed his cub. _How dare someone use the cruciatus curse on my cub! _The wolf inside Remus agreed protective of Harry. "You need to tell us what happened so that we can help you."

Harry shook his head furiously and came up with a quick lie. "I-I don't remember much, other than Renwick's face, and he mentioned someone named Greyback." Harry felt Remus and Sirius stiffen at the later name. "Who is Greyback?"

"He is the one who turned me into a werewolf," Remus said in a strained voice.

Neither Sirius or Remus inquired about his nightmare again, they just comforted him before they all went down for breakfast with the rest of the household. To Harry's relief, his nightmare wasn't brought up around him for the rest of the morning. It took over an hour for Harry to stop trembling, but the pain caused by the curse was still tucked away at the back of his mind. _I will not allow for Renwick or anyone else to hurt my family_.


	8. Extravagant Manors

Later that evening, the sun was low in the sky and everything was surprisingly peaceful. Without so much as a bird chirping, all was quiet. The Weasley twins were up in their bedroom doing who-knows-what, and Percy was in his room reading, while everyone else was sitting in the living room. Harry sat on the floor with Ron, while Ginny and Hermione sat on the couch behind them. Sirius and Remus sat together on the loveseat, while Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley were in separate chairs. No one spoke as they took in the comfort of the day.

The sun had nearly set when Sirius spoke up. "Come on Harry, it's time to go see your new home." A grin broke out on Sirius' face as he stood up along with Remus, who went to get Harry's things. Reaching down, Sirius held out his hand, which Harry took and was hauled to his feet.

Turning around, Harry spoke out. "Ron, Hermione, Ginny, I'll send Hedwig over tomorrow with a letter. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, thank you so much for letting me stay here for the past few weeks. Say good-bye to the twins and Percy for me, will you?"

"We will Harry, dear." Mrs. Weasley said as she stood up to give Harry a quick hug. "And Sirius, you'll do well to remember that Harry is still a boy, and _not_ an adult."

A shocked and slightly angered look crossed Sirius' face. "I would not be so stupid as to forget that my pup is still young, Molly."

"See ya 'arry," Ron said as he clasped his friend on the back.

"Good-bye Harry, talk to you soon," Hermione said with a smile as she hugged Harry briefly.

With one last wave to everyone, Remus appeared with Hedwig and Harry's trunk. "Shall we be off?" Harry grabbed onto Sirius' hand, and they Disapparated with a loud _crack_. The feeling of being shoved through a tight tube caused Harry's stomach to lurch as he landed roughly on a field of grass. Sirius chuckled from beside him.

"You'll get used to Apparation eventually," his Godfather said with amusement. Another loud _crack _signified that Remus had just Apparated behind them. "Well, what do you think?"

Harry lifted his eyes so that he could look at the building in front of them; he nearly fell over from shock. A giant manor built from stone, brick, and wood stood in front of them. Large windows lined the walls and an elegant wooden door was in the dead center of the structure. Several chimneys protruded from the slanted roof, and smoke billowed from them. A stone pathway led to the front concrete steps, and fields of grass surrounded the property. For several miles, Harry could see a large black fence encased the entire property and a section of woods that probably had the purpose of being a place for Remus to go during his transformations. "What do I think? I can't really think right now. It's… It's amazing!" A huge grin broke out on Harry's face as he looked up at his Godfather.

"Glad you like it pup," Sirius smirked as he and Remus guided Harry into the mansion. Harry inhaled as he took in the inside of the mansion. Magic practically filled the air as enchanted objects lined the walls and rooms. Portraits of the Marauders, Harry, and the Potters were scattered around the house, all the members waving at the three as they walked inside each room. The floors were carpet in the living area and the bed rooms, but everywhere else was a beautiful stone tile. All the cupboards and shelves were either black or silver, and everything matched everything perfectly.

"Who did the decorating?" Harry said as he took in the enchanted torches that illuminated the hallway, and the beautiful crystal chandeliers that hung from the ceilings.

Remus chuckled. "I did most of the decorating, as I've got more of a knack for it that Padfoot here."

"You've got more than just a knack for it," Harry said, completely awed by the beautiful home. "I can't believe I get to live here, and with the two of you!"

An arm was draped over Harry's shoulders, and he looked up into the eyes of his Godfather. "Come see your new room pup."

Remus led the way, while Sirius walked beside Harry all the way up a flight two flights of stairs that stopped just in front of a door. Harry quirked an eyebrow as he saw his name written on the wooden door. Remus opened the door and they all stepped inside. Harry's jaw dropped as he took in his room, if you could even call it a room.

The area was larger than the dorm room that all the third year guys had shared at Hogwarts. There was a huge red corner couch, a large wooden desk, several dark mahogany book shelves that matched the desk, and a king sized four poster bed. Lining one of the shelves were pictures of his friends, Sirius and Remus, and himself. Harry's favorite picture was a 2' by 4' picture of his parents that hung on the wall over his bed. Hanging from the ceiling was a golden chandelier, and several Gryffindor coat of arms banners. There was a mahogany wardrobe that stood in the far corner of the room, and he could tell that it was enchanted to hold more than it looked like. Along the far wall was a huge window, and to his great joy, there were no bars on it. What surprised Harry was that there were three other doors within the room. One was an attached bathroom, but the other two… he didn't know. "What are those two rooms?"

Remus walked over with a huge grin and opened both doors. Inside each were a bed, a wardrobe, and a three-seated couch. "These, are for Ron and Hermione when they come to visit."

Harry's jaw dropped. "I'm… I'm allowed to have my friends over?"

A frown appeared on Sirius' face. "Of course, Prongslet. Why would you think otherwise?"

"The Dursleys," was all Harry said as he took in his room once again. "You didn't need to do all this for me though. I love it, but I don't deserve anything this extravaga-"

Sirius cut Harry off. "You, Harry, deserve this more than any kid I know. It was no trouble to set this all up for you, and we can change anything with a flick of the wand if you want. Never say you don't deserve something we do for you, we love you Harry and want you to catch up on all the love you missed as a child."

A smile lit up Harry's face as his eyes filled with tears. "Thank you Sirius, and you too Remus." _I can't say that I love you but I know deep down that I will be able to say so soon, to both you and Remus._

"It was not a problem Harry. We'll leave you to get settled in for a little bit while we go see that dinner will be ready within the hour," Remus said as he grabbed Sirius hand before the two of them left the room.

Sitting on his bed, Harry could only murmur "wow" as he took in his new bedroom. _I can't believe this is going to be my new home._


	9. An Old Friend

A quiet knock sounded from the other side of Harry's door, bringing him for his thoughts. The door swung open to display a familiar odd looking face. With large ears and huge eyes, Dobby stood at Harry's door. He was wearing odd socks, a blue jumper, and a black bow tie. A large grin was firmly planted on his face. "Harry Potter sir, Mr. Sirius said dinner's ready," Dobby said in his jittery but gleeful high pitched voice.

"Dobby!" Harry said with a huge smile, his brooding over his nightmare halted. "You work for Sirius and Remus."

"Oh yes. When Dobby found out that Mr. Sirius and Mr. Remus needed a house elf, Dobby was first to apply for the job. Dobby was much pleased when Mr. Sirius gave him the job," said the happy house elf.

"That's great Dobby!" Harry exclaimed as he followed Dobby down into the dining room. Harry was surprised at the fit-for-a-king meal that sat on the large table. There was a chicken, potatoes, carrots, turnip, corn, bread, biscuits, tea, pumpkin juice, and for dessert, a large pumpkin pie. His mouth practically watered at the sight. At the head of the table sat Sirius, and on the opposite end sat Remus. A chair for Harry was placed in between the two adults.

"Ah, Harry, have a seat and dig in," Remus said with a grin as he began to stack food onto his plate. Harry sat down and followed suit, while Sirius was already eating. There was no room for conversation, as everyone was too busy eating.

At the end of the meal, Sirius leaned back and grinned at Harry. "Tomorrow I was thinking we could head over to Diagon Alley and get yourself a house pet, other than your owl. Nothing like a good cat to keep you company when Hedwig's gone on a delivery."

"Really?!" Harry said excitedly. "That'd be great, thank you."

"Very good then, we'll all head out tomorrow morning after breakfast," Sirius said, chuckling at Harry's enthusiasm. "You best get up to bed Harry."

A sudden gloom like feeling settled over Harry as he imagined sleeping tonight. _Renwick wouldn't visit me again tonight, would he? _A deep fear settled in his stomach as he thought about the Cruciatus curse that had been used upon him. The aftereffects were still with him, shaking his core. Thankfully, it was unnoticeable to anyone else. Remus and Sirius both noticed the sudden change in Harry, so Remus leaned forward and held out a small bottle to Harry. "This," he said "is a dreamless potion that should allow you to sleep in comfort for tonight."

Reaching out, Harry took the bottle with a grateful look. "Thanks Remus. I'll see you two in the morning."

"Night Harry," Sirius said, looking troubled and distracted.

"Goodnight Harry," Remus said with a small smile before turning to face his boyfriend. Sighing softly, Harry trudged up to his room and got ready for bed. He tucked the potion away in his drawer, not intending to use it tonight. Instead, he placed a silencing charm on his bedroom, and climbed into bed.

_I don't want to see Renwick again, but I need to be around for the threats he makes. Sirius and Remus cannot get hurt because we weren't prepared for an attack on the house. At least I'll know it's just a dream when I see him. _Looking down, Harry took off the gauze from around his arm and read the words etched there until he drifted off to sleep. _I will kill everyone you care about._

**Author's Note. ****_Hey guys, I'm glad I've gotten positive feedback on this story, but I would love to hear more reviews from all of you. I'm sorry that this chapter was really short, but I am hoping to make the next one a bit longer. I know my writing is a bit rough, but thanks to those who are sticking with the story. _**


	10. Doggy Breakfast

A warm ray of sunlight shone through the windows of the Black-Lupin-Potter Manor early the following morning. It was a contradiction though, the weather compared to the state of mind in the manor. Young Harry Potter was having a dreadful nightmare about Sirius being taken away by Dementors, and Sirius and Remus were having a very important and serious discussion in the kitchen.

"Moony, what are we going to do about Renwick invading Harry's nightmares? The fact that he can hurt our pup in his sleep…" Sirius said as he ran his hand through his hair for the umpteenth time that morning.

"I know Padfoot, but there is nothing we can do but see how this plays out. We've already reported Renwick to the Ministry and when they find him, we can go ourselves and personally dispose of him. No one touches my cub and lives to tell the tale," Remus said, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. The wolf inside him snarled in agreement, protective of Harry.

"At least Harry didn't have another nightmare last night," Sirius thought out loud. "I'll never be able to forget the way he looked after he woke up yesterday. The Cruciatus curse, by God, I can't believe they dared do that to Harry while I'm still alive!"

Remus placed a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Easy there Padfoot. We'll get our revenge eventually. Right now, we need to be there for our cub."

Meanwhile, the boy in discussion was upstairs just waking up from his horrible nightmare. A cold sweat covered his body and his throat was a bit sore from yelling. Sitting up in a huff, he ran his hand over his face before putting on his glasses. Even his sheets were soaked from his sweat, so he quickly changed them with a flick of his wand before getting into a hot shower. Once satisfied that his heart rate had slowed down enough, he dried off and changed into a clean set of jeans and a t-shirt. Once satisfied, Harry decided to have some fun with Sirius, so he transformed into his dog form.

Darting downstairs, Harry found Sirius and Remus making breakfast in the kitchen. Walking over silently, he sat on his back end and lifted up his front legs so that he was in a begging position. Then, he pressed his ears flat on the back of his head and looked up with the most innocent, pleading expression before letting out a whimper. Sirius, who was flipping the bacon, jumped at the sound of a dog from beneath him. Remus also jumped while he was making pancakes beside Sirius. They both looked down and burst out laughing at the sight of Harry. Reaching over Sirius grabbed an already cooked piece of bacon and flung it down to Harry, who caught it in his awaiting mouth. Licking his lips, Harry stood up on his hind legs so that he was standing upright beside his guardians.

"Harry, you're shedding on the food!" Remus said, letting out a chuckle as he gently rubbed his knuckles into Harry's doggy skull. Standing back on all fours, Harry transformed back into his human form with a chuckle.

Sirius smiled. "Come on you two, breakfast is ready." They all headed into the dining room and began digging into the pancakes and bacon.

"How come you two cooked instead of Dobby?" Harry asked.

Remus looked up at him. "Dobby is only going to cook one meal per day. The rest of his time will be used to clean or offer company."

Harry nodded in response. When they had all finished eating, Sirius waved his wand and the dishes vanished back to the kitchen. _I love magic! _Harry absolutely loved getting to see magic being used from the comforts of home. It was something he never got to see at the Dursley's (for obvious reasons). "Come now Harry, let's all head out to Diagon Alley!" Remus said as they all stood up. Harry clung onto Sirius, and with a loud _crack_, they disapparated.

**AN: I can't thank you enough for reading this far, and no worries, the next chapter will be long, and there will be action! And thanks to for your lovely comment. It made me "smile like a maniac".**


	11. Diagon Adventures Begin

The loud hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley filled Harry with joy as he materialized in front of Flourish and Blotts. All around him, wizards of all ages darted into and out of shops, most wearing smiles on their faces as they went about their day. Students were getting next year's school supplies, while adults flustered about carrying bags filled with new things. Owls could be seen flying overhead as they went to deliver letters and packages. A group of kids ran in front of Harry, Sirius, and Remus, and they were chasing a runaway toad. Harry's memory immediately went to Neville Longbottom, who always lost his toad.

"Come on Harry, let's go to Gringott's to get some money," Remus said as they walked side-by-side towards the giant bank. Even after seeing and being in the building several times, Harry was still awed by its greatness. The huge stone pillars supporting the building, and the fine craftsmanship was nothing if not beautiful. Inside, the huge chandeliers and rows upon rows of Goblins made Harry wish that he had more eyes so he could look at everything. Walking up to the head Goblin, they paused in front of him.

"I'd like to go to my vault," Sirius said simply, holding out his wand for the Goblin to see.

"And mine as well," Harry added, reaching into his sleeve to grab his wand until a hand jerked out and stopped him.

Sirius and Remus both looked down at Harry oddly. "Why would you need to get into your vault?" Sirius asked as he took his wand back from the Goblin.

A stunned look crossed Harry's face. "To get money so I can buy my cat…" Harry said slowly, thinking that his guardians had forgotten their reason in going to Diagon Alley. An offended look crossed Sirius' face, confusing the poor boy further.

"Nonsense!" Sirius said, but Remus cut him off from continuing further.

"Harry," Remus said in a softer tone. "We are your guardians and we would never expect you to pay for things on your own while you're living under our roof. You may have had to at the Dursley's, but you will do no such thing when with us."

Surprise filled Harry's features. "You guys don't need to do that. I've got loads of money and can pa-"

Sirius let out a scoff. "Wait till you see my vault Harry; then I expect to hear no more rebuttals on the matter."

They were led into the cart that went to the vaults, and Harry smiled almost the entire ride. Sirius also looked like he was enjoying himself, while Remus looked to be trying to keep his breakfast from making a reappearance. Harry was surprised at how far down into the vaults they went; way deeper than his own vault. When they finally got to the vault, Sirius ran his finger along several sections of the door, which opened when he removed his hand. When the vault's innards were revealed, Harry's jaw dropped.

Never in all his life had Harry seen so much money, jewels, and various priceless artifacts. They stacked all the way to the roof of the vault and quite a few yards inwards. Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts were everywhere, stacked in huge piles. Sirius walked forwards and filled his bag full of various coins before disappearing behind a giant pile of treasures. "My face was much the same when I saw all this the first time. Sirius gained all this from his predecessors," explained Remus.

Sirius returned a moment later and held something out to Harry. It was a small rectangle locket that had the Gryffindor coat of arms on the outside. "This belonged to your mother Harry, given to her by your father. Open it up," Sirius said, placing the locket into Harry's hand. He opened it up and gave a very emotional smile as he saw a picture of his mom on one side of the locket, and his father on the other side. "Flip it over." Harry did as he was told, and he almost shed a tear as he read the small engraving on the back. _We love you, Harry._

"Your parents had that carved when you were born, and you wore his locket for the first year of your life," Remus said. "Sirius found it when he saved some things from your parent's house."

Reaching up, Harry slipped the locket on and tucked it under his shirt. "Thank you Sirius, this means a lot." Turning to his Godfather, Harry hugged him firmly. A shocked expression crossed Sirius' face before hugging Harry back.

"I'm glad you like it. Now, let's go get you your cat," Sirius said before they all left the vault and took the cart back up to the main entrance.

Once inside Magical Menagerie, Harry began looking around at the cats available. There were gingers, Siamese, black ones, tabbies, white ones, grey ones, and bridle ones. There were too many to choose from, so Harry spent a minute or two inspecting every one. Just when Harry was going to ask Sirius or Remus for their opinion, when something hit him in the back of the head. Letting out a surprised sound, he reached back and grabbed something fluffy that was clinging to his neck. Pulling it in front of him, Harry could hardly stop the "awe" that threatened to escape his lips. In his hands was a very young black and brown tabby female kitten. The kitten purred at him, then reached up and licked his nose.

Walking over to Sirius, Harry held up the kitten. "This is the one," he said with a smile.

Sirius leaned down and inspected the tiny kitten before turning to the store owner. "We'll take this one," he said, placing nine galleons on the counter. Harry nuzzled his nose into the kitten's fur as he, Remus, and Sirius walked out of the store. They all stopped as soon as they left the store, for everyone in Diagon Alley started running and screaming all at once. Looking up, they saw the Dark Mark in the sky.

"Remus!" Sirius shouted, pushing Harry towards the shocked werewolf. "Take Harry back to the Manor, now!"

"I'm not leaving you here!" Remus shouted back as he tugged Harry to his side. Meanwhile Harry kept a tight grip on his kitten.

"Moony!" Sirius said, his face losing all color as he spotted dark cloaked figures approaching from the other side of the alley. "Take Harry, please, there is no time to argue!"

It was then that something caught Harry's eye. Disappearing behind one of the shops was a man with five scars going down his face, his cloak billowing out behind him. The man winked at Harry before continuing on. _Caine Renwick._ Taking his kitten, he shoved it at Remus who snatched it confusedly, before taking off full blast after Renwick, clearly not thinking logically. Something deep inside him told him to chase this man and to stop him from getting away. That part inside Harry ignored how his life would be threatened, and the fact that it would make Remus and Sirius very mad at him, if he survived.

"HARRY!" Remus and Sirius' screams sounded behind him. They'd been so shocked by his sudden taking off, that they were frozen for a few seconds before they took off after their surprisingly fast boy.

_Sorry Remus, Sirius. I've spent years running from Uncle Vernon and Dudley. You won't be able to keep up. _Keeping Renwick in his sights, Harry booked it as fast as he could after the evil man who threatened his new family. _Nothing is going to take away their happiness, even if I have to sacrifice myself so they can live on. You will pay for threatening them ,Renwick. _


	12. The Curse of Caine

Screams echoed around Diagon Alley as wizards ran to escape the impending hoard of Death Eaters. Several men and women stayed to fight, but most fled or Disapparated if they were able. The cloaked figures wreaked havoc upon the crowded alley; sending out spouts of flame to burn shops, stupefying children and adults, and even going as far to use the cruciatus curse on those who stood up to them. It was when the first death occurred; a young man no older than his mid-twenties, which the real wreckage began. Without so much as a warning of their arrival, the once peaceful Diagon Alley was ill-prepared for such an attack.

Harry Potter was running as fast as he could, chasing one of the darkly-cloaked figures, who bore the name Caine Renwick. He cackled as the boy chased him behind several shops, and he only grinned wider as he saw that the boy's guardians got blocked by his followers. The boy was going to die today, of that Renwick had no doubt. Figuring that they had a good head start, Renwick turned around and ran at the stunned boy. While the Potter boy was surprised, he took that time to latch onto Potter's arm and Disapparate them to a small field outside the city. His followers would be telling Sirius Black and Remus Lupin where he'd gone to with Potter, and when they arrived, all they'd find would be young Mr. Potter's body. Renwick's spine chilled with anticipation.

Harry was knocked off balance as his feet were reacquainted with the earth. He had been totally shocked when Renwick had suddenly turned and grabbed onto his arm before they Disapparated. Looking around at his new surroundings, he saw that they were in a small grassy field, and the sun shone down on them. It seemed too peaceful of a day to be facing a Death Eater. Caine Renwick was several yards away from him, and was watching him intently.

"I must thank you Harry," Renwick said as he grinned; only marring his destroyed features further. "By separating yourself from Sirius and Remus, you've only made everything all the easier."

Harry bristled and held his wand at the ready. "You're not going to hurt them," he said defiantly. "They've both gone through too much to lose it because of you." A deep protective feeling settled within Harry. He couldn't help but wonder why he felt so protective of the two men he hardly knew.

Laughter filled the air. "Oh you stupid boy! They're going to lose all the happiness they ever had as soon as they find your body! But I am curious about one thing. Why is it that you would willingly come here, knowing that you didn't stand a chance against me, for two people you hardly know?"

A realization settled upon Harry at that moment, and it made him smile. _I've been totally blind. I told myself that I didn't really feel emotionally attached to either of them, but I was lying to myself. _Looking straight into Renwick' eyes, Harry said "It doesn't matter that I hardly know them, or the fact that they were friends of my father, or even that I cared for them as a baby. What is important is how I know them now! I love Sirius, and Remus. They're both the fatherly figures that I've so desperately needed, and you won't harm them! _Stupefy!_"

Renwick dropped the grin and a savage expression crossed his face as he jumped out of the way of the stunning-spell. "_Sectumsempra!_" Harry was barely able to dodge the oncoming spell. _What spell was that? _Something told him that he didn't really want to know, as it totally destroyed the section of ground it had hit.

_"__Petrificus Totalus!_" shouted Harry as he sent the spell flying towards Renwick. Disappointment filled him as Renwick dispersed the spell with a simple flick of his wand.

"You foolish child!" Renwick said as he took a few steps towards Harry. "You think you can kill me with only three years of lessons in the Dark Arts? I'll rip you apart, and then Sirius, Remus, and all the Weasleys as well. All of their deaths will be on your head, as by knowing you, you've doomed them all. They'll all die slowly, painfully, and I will make sure they grovel for death before I give it to them. Oh, how I'll take pleasure in hearing them scream."

A deep loathing filled Harry as his vision went red. Anger seeped from every pore as he stood up straight. Not really comprehending what he was doing, Harry darted at Renwick and shouted "_Crucio!_"

A loud yell escaped Renwick as his body hit the ground. Pain filled his body, but then it slowly dispersed. With a cackle, he stood up once more, shocking Harry. _What did I do wrong? _Harry thought desperately, as he backed away a bit from the laughing figure. "That was a good shot Potter, but you have to mean it when you cast that curse! You have to really want to cause me pain. I'll show you how it's really done. _Crucio!_"

The familiar feeling of iron-hot knives stabbing him all at once was not a welcomed feeling. Clinging to his wand, Harry collapsed to the ground as the spell went on. Time was meaningless as the pain continued, never relenting and only getting worse. Somewhere in the background, Renwick was laughing manically as he watched Harry curl in on himself, shaking with pain. It was impossible to focus on anything, and he began to find himself wishing for death, to make the pain stop.

After several long torturous minutes, the pain stopped. Harry lay quivering on the ground and was vaguely aware of a shadow looming over him. Peering up, he saw that Renwick's wand was pointed straight at his heart. "_Avada Ke-" _

"_Stupefy!_" shouted a familiar voice. Renwick collapsed to the ground beside Harry and struck his head hard upon a rock, rendering him unconscious. "HARRY!" Before Harry could respond, he blacked out.


	13. Security and Love With You

A low buzz sounded in Harry's ears, signifying his waking up. Everything was black, and after a dazed moment, he realized he couldn't open his eyes, nor move any part of his body. In fact, he couldn't even feel his body. Fear filled him as his thought scrambled for an answer. The memories of his fight with Renwick shot back at him, along with the voice of the person who had saved him. _Who had it been? I can't remember who found me… Where am i? Am I dead?_ These thoughts circled around his head, keeping him distracted from the fact that he was slowly starting to be connected with his body again.

The buzzing began to grow faintly louder, and eventually turned into people talking. "Is he going to be ok Madam Pomfrey?" asked the quivering, exahusted voice of a man. _Remus, _Harry's heart flipped at the sound of his guardian's voice. _You're ok… What about Sirius?_

"Yes," said Madam Pomfrey's voice from further away. "He'll be just fine. The cruciatus curse has some nasty side effects, but it wasn't used long enough to cause any permanent damage, Remus." Her voice sounded tired, much like Remus' voice.

"He's so still though; he hasn't so much as flinched since we brought him in. Usually after the cruciatus curse, the victim shakes for quite some time, but he's not even moving!" Remus all but moaned out. _I'm perfectly fine Remus, but where is Sirius?! _Harry wished he could scream it out to the world. _Was Sirius ok? Was he alive? Where is he?_

There was a bit of shuffling as someone draped a blanket over him. "Thanks for helping him Poppy, I know you're utterly exhausted so I can take over watching him for a while."

"Nonsense!" Madame Pomfrey snapped. "You've been up 24/7 to stay with that boy, and you haven't gotten a wink of sleep since he got here. Go lay down for a while Remus, and I'll get you if he wakes up."

"No. I can't sleep knowing that he's still…" Remus trailed off, sounding utterly heartbroken.

"Remus! His life is no longer in danger. All you are doing is unnecessarily depriving yourself of sleep. I know you are a worried parent but you need to go get some sleep. If the roles were reversed, you would not want Harry to lose sleep over you. So, go to bed Remus. You can even sleep right there."

He heard Remus let out a sigh of relent. "Very well, you are right. Thanks again Poppy, and if Sirius arrives, can you please wake me up?"

Harry never heard Poppy's answer, as he was too caught up in what Remus had just said. _Sirius is ok… He's alive, he's fine. _Relief of the likes that Harry had never felt before filled him as he thought to himself over and over again; _Sirius is alive!_ All grew silent in the room, wherever Harry was, and he eventually fell asleep.

X.X.X.X

"Harry, please, please wake up," came a voice, bringing Harry from the foggy depths of his mind. Unable to open his eyes, Harry was just happy with the fact that he could feel his body. A hand was wrapped around his own. "Come on son, I need to know that you're ok. You're freaking Remus and I out pup." Harry found the connection to his hand and squeezed Sirius' hand gently.

Harry felt Sirius jump from the sudden movement. "Oh Harry! Are you awake? Open your eyes Harry, please!" Harry's heart leapt from the relieved tone of his Godfather. Mustering all his will, he peeled open his eyelids and was met by a very bright room and a very blurry figure looming over him. Beside him, Sirius fumbled in his pocket and grabbed Harry's glasses, before sliding them onto his Godson's face.

"Thanks," Harry croaked out as he struggled to sit up.

"Easy there!" Sirius exclaimed, leaning over to help Harry into a sitting position. "You've been out of it for six days now, so you're going to be a bit groggy."

"Six days?!"

Sirius' expression was solemn. "Yeah. There was a point in time where even Madam Pomfrey wasn't sure you were going to make it. You're heart beat started slowing and you seemed to shut down for almost four hours; but it all picked back up after. You had Remus and I worried to death Harry. What you did was foolish, but we will discuss that when you're healthier."

"What happened to Renwick?" Harry asked before a cough raked through him. Sirius immediately rubbed his hand down Harry's back, soothing the boy.

"Renwick was captured by the Auror's and has been sent to a trail, and is expected to receive the Dementor's kiss within the next few days. All thanks to you Harry, but that is far from praise. Of all the stupidest things a teenager could do, you went above and beyond. Chasing a _Death Eater_… My God Harry, I thought I was going to have a heart attack when you took off after Renwick! And then, when we arrived at the field and we saw you just lying there, I thought we were too late. You can't do that Harry, ever again."

"I thought we were going to chew him out _after_ he was released from the infirmary," said Remus' voice from the doorway. Harry's head shot to the left, looking at his werewolf guardian. It was then that he noticed both Remus and Sirius' conditions. Both men had deep dark circles beneath their eyes, and looked exhausted. Remus' hair was shaggy, while Sirius' was a tangled mess after having run his hand through it dozens of times. Harry also noticed that they hadn't been eating very well.

Looking away from both men, Harry looked down at his hands vaguely noticing that Renwick's words were no longer etched into his arm. "I'm sorry," he spoke out, his voice hoarse and quiet. "I can't say how sorry I am for doing this to both of you. However, I can't say that I regret it. You both want to know what happened in my dream; I saw the prospect of the future. Remus, you were getting attacked by Greyback and perhaps others! Sirius, you… you d-died! I watched him preform the cruciatus curse on you, I watched him shout Avada Kedavra, and I _watched you die!_ That almost destroyed me, and the cruciatus curse preformed on me will never compare to the pain when I thought you were both dead… I… I'm sorry."

Harry placed his head in his hands trying to hide his tears. He felt Sirius kneel on his bed in front of him, and Remus sit down beside him. Sirius pulled Harry's hands away from his face and made him look in his eyes. "Harry James Potter," Sirius said firmly but softly, a small pained smile gracing his lips. "We're both here, and we're both ok. We aren't going anywhere. Take a deep breath… there you go. I wish you did not have to see that, but it never happened. It is our job to take care of you pup, not the other way around."

"We understand why you did it Harry, don't doubt that," Remus said, placing his arm around the crying boy. "However, you mustn't do something so reckless again. If it wasn't for Renwick's sadistic ways and love for torture, we would have lost you today."

With a slight nod, Harry looked up at Remus and Sirius. "Thanks, both of you for caring for me. I love you, both of you. I know I should have said it earlier, but I didn't realize it until I faced off with Renwick." Harry was suddenly engulfed in a three-way hug.

"We love you too, Prongslet," Sirius murmured as he squeezed his Godson tightly. "Now, you need to get some rest so that we can all go home tomorrow."

Harry shifted into his dog form, and cuddled deeply under the blankets. He barked softly at his guardians once. "Night cub," Remus said as he ruffled Harry's fur.

"Night Harry," Sirius said, placing a kiss onto Harry's head. "We'll be right here if you need us." Remus and Sirius lay together on the bed next to Harry's. Harry gave a friendly growl before shutting his eyes. It wasn't long before sleep claimed him.


	14. A Stroll at an Un-Godly Hour

Harry lurched awake with a start, his heart beating wildly in his chest. Sweat poured down his face and soaked his through his sheets. Sitting up quickly, he took deep breaths, telling himself over and over again that Sirius had not been taken by the Dementors. He realized that he must have changed into his human form during his sleep again. Reaching over to the infirmary nightstand, he grabbed his glasses and slid them onto his face. Looking around, relief still went through him when he saw Sirius and Remus sleeping soundly on the bed beside his. _Good, I didn't wake them up. _Even though he was still a bit shaken by the nightmare, he couldn't help but smile at the way Sirius and Remus held each other in a lover's embrace. It was so innocent; you couldn't help but feel that they were the perfect match.

The clock on the wall read that it was only four-thirty in the morning, but Harry knew he wouldn't be able to sleep anymore. He was really grateful that he hadn't yelled or anything in his sleep. Both Remus and Sirius needed their sleep, and his nightmare-problem was a stupid reason to make them lose more. Deciding to get up, he transformed into a dog so he could travel silently, he got off the bed and immediately started wobbling. _Bloody Hell, I guess after almost a week of being in bed has taken its toll. _Slowly he grew steadier on his legs, and was able to make a few silent laps around the infirmary without falling over. Satisfied that he could walk strongly on his own, he set out to walk around the dark halls of Hogwarts.

The summer had been pretty decent so far, minus the bumps along the way, but Harry couldn't deny that he missed Hogwarts. As he roamed the halls lined with sleeping portraits, memories flooded through him; mostly good, but some bad. He remembered with longing the Mirror of Erised that allowed him to see his parents, he remembered meeting his two best friends, he remembered finding out that he had a Godfather who loved him, and he remembered above all the joy he felt when he found out he was a wizard. Without so much as seeing another soul walking through the school, Harry felt oddly at peace. It had been a while since he'd been truly alone, and it was a nice feeling.

Naturally, Harry took the common route up the stairs to the common room. However, by the time he got to the Fat Lady's portrait, he began to feel rather tired. _I think… I think I'll just lie down for a moment. _He lay down unceremoniously and turned on his side. His legs were tired and his muscles ached, just from the half-hour walk. It wasn't that he wanted to sleep, but all of a sudden he felt that he was unable to walk anymore. _It must be because of the cruciatus curse and then six days in bed._

He didn't know exactly how long he lay there under the Fat Lady's portrait, but eventually the sun began to rise, shining through the windows. Remus and Sirius would certainly have strokes if he wasn't in bed when they woke up, so he stood up shakily and began to mosey on back to the infirmary. It took him a long time before he arrived, but was really grateful when he did. That was until, however, he saw Madame Pomfrey standing outside the door tapping her foot. When she saw him, she scowled and pointed a finger at him. "You are so lucky that Sirius and Remus didn't wake up! Get back to bed!" she whispered harshly at him.

Nodding, he walked into the infirmary and jumped back onto his bed. He decided to stay in his dog form so that his guardians wouldn't be suspicious about him being human again. _They might figure out I had a nightmare and then they'd fuss even more over me. No, it's better if they don't know. _

It wasn't long since Harry returned before he heard Remus groan. He looked over at his guardians and smiled as the two of them began to wake up. Sirius stretched and opened his eyes, while Remus curled in on himself and looked lazily around the room. Suddenly, as if a thought struck both of them, they both turned to look at Harry, who was sitting up and giving them a doggy grin. "Harry! Good morning!" Remus said as he stood up slowly. Harry grinned wider as he heard the older man's bones creak.

"How are you feeling Harry?" Sirius inquired as he too got up.

Harry transformed quickly and smiled at the two men. "Feeling a lot better," he said, standing up as well. "Can we go home today?"

Both men got extremely large grins. "Yes, we most certainly can, well that is if Madame Pomfrey says you can." The three of them turned to look at the nurse who was busy fussing with some potions.

She did not even turn to look at them when she said "He's free to go. Just make sure he doesn't do any vigorous activity for the next day or so, and Harry dear, no more chasing Dark Wizards."

A deep crimson blush filled Harry's cheeks. "Thanks for everything Poppy," Sirius said before placing a hand on Harry's back. "Come on, we have a portkey waiting for us in front of the school."

Harry let out a groan. "Oh… awesome." Both men laughed at Harry's less that eager expression.


	15. Sleep With Laurel

_Slam! _Harry's feet met the ground with a thud and he would have toppled over if not for Sirius who had caught him by the back of his shirt. "Easy does it Harry," Sirius said, chuckling at the nauseas boy.

"I hate Apparation," Harry said simply as he stood up straight, beside him, Remus apparated with a loud _crack_. In front of them stood their home; a giant, awe-inspiring manor. Together, the three of them walked inside, happy to be back at home. A sudden thought entered Harry's head, and panic flooded through him. _Where's my kitten? Did it survive the attack? _A part of him wanted to ask his guardians, but was too nervous to ask. _What if it died because of my stupid actions? _

"You go on up to your room now Harry," Remus said as he looked down at Harry. "We've got some things to sort out now that we're back." Harry was a bit disappointed that he couldn't stay with the two men, but decided to not be such a burden and go upstairs. He noticed with shock that the two of them watched him with odd expressions as he walked up the stairs. _Did I do something wrong? _

He wanted to smack himself in the face. _Of course you did something wrong, you idiot! You ran after a Death Eater, nearly got yourself killed, and nearly got Remus and Sirius killed. Why shouldn't they be angry at me? _Harry transformed into a dog and ran up the stairs at a fast pace. Once in his room, he shut the door and locked it behind him. Walking over to his bed, he was about to climb up on it when a he saw a small bundle of black and brown fur lying on his pillow. The bundle turned and looked up at him, mewing softly. _It's my kitten!_

Harry transformed back to his human self and scooped up the kitten. "You need a name; how about… Laurel? I think it's a pretty name, what about you?" The kitten looked up at him with its brown eyes and mewed softly at him, causing him to smile. Shifting the kitten so it was in one arm, he went over to his owl-perch where Hedwig sat. She was eyeing the kitten cautiously. "Hedwig, meet Laurel; she's going to be staying here to so you better be nice to her."

Hedwig leaned over and inspected the kitten. Harry grew nervous that she might try to eat Laurel, but instead, she ruffled her feathers and chirped. Laurel looked up and batted at Hedwig's tail once before Harry moved away. "Now, you best not annoy Hedwig or else she'll make a quick meal out of you!"

All of Harry's body began to feel the exhaustion from overexerting himself during his early morning walk. Placing Laurel down on the bed, he transformed into a dog and curled up on the bed. His kitten stood up and walked up onto his back, where she curled up and fell asleep between his shoulder blades. Harry snorted, slightly amused, before sleep claimed him.

X.X.X.X

_Bang! Bang! Bang! _Three consistent knocks upon his door pulled Harry from his dreamless sleep. His eyelids drooped as he turned his head towards the door. From beyond it, he could hear a soft "_alohomora" _before the door opened up, revealing Sirius. "How come you locked the do- AWW!" Sirius' stern demeanor shriveled up and died as he saw his sleepy Godson as a dog, with a kitten curled up on his back.

Harry growled softly before dropping his head back onto the bed. "Are you feeling ok Harry?" Sirius asked as he walked a few steps into the room. Nodding his head, Harry yawned and closed his eyes, wanting to go back to sleep. A chuckled escaped Sirius. "Lunch is ready, but you can eat later. See you when you wake up Harry." With that said, Sirius left the room and Harry fell back to sleep.

**AN: Kind of a pointless chapter, but I felt like this story needs a calm, relaxing chapter to even it out a bit. Hope you're all enjoying this story so far. :)**


	16. Lies That Decide

When Harry came to, it was pitch black outside. _Had I slept that long?_ Glancing at his clock, he saw that it was indeed 3 in the morning. Running a paw across his face, he sighed angrily. _How is it possible that I can sleep so much, and then wake up in the middle of the night?!_ Glancing down, he saw that Laurel was sleeping soundly between his forepaws. Trying not to wake her up, he stood up quietly and climbed off the bed. His stomach growled savagely, and he decided to go find something to eat. Nosing open his door, Harry walked downstairs and into the kitchen. A faint snoring could be heard coming from his guardians' room, and he chuckled inwardly.

In the kitchen, Harry transformed into his human self and turned on the light. Blinking his eyes at the sudden change in visibility, he opened up the fridge. Inside, he saw a sandwich that had a little note on it. _Harry,_ it read. _Since you missed lunch and dinner, you can have this if you wake up while we're sleeping. Enjoy. –R & S. _Smiling, Harry took the sandwich and quickly devoured it. When his stomach was satisfied, he cleaned up the plate and put it back in the cupboard.

Harry knew that he would be unable to fall asleep again, so he walked into the living room and sat in front of the burning fire. Something caught his eye on the side table and he bent to grab it. It was a copy of the Daily Prophet. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the picture of Caine Renwick on the front. The article read:

**Renwick on the Loose**

_The Ministry of Magic would like to release a warning. A Death Eater known as Caine Renwick is running amok with a hoard of other Death Eaters, and causing havoc throughout England. After a recent set of events including Sirius Black, Harry Potter, and Remus Lupin, Renwick was captured but escaped shortly after. His last known whereabouts was near Gringott's, but he Disapparated upon being seen. This man is dangerous, and we advise all wizards and witches to travel in groups, and if you see him, do not approach him. Report the sightings to the Ministry, and our Auror's will deal with his capture._

Harry read no further as he dropped the paper. Fear and anger was all he knew at this point. _Sirius lied to me. He told me they had captured Renwick and he was going to receive the Dementor's kiss. He lied to me._ Deep down, Harry knew Sirius' intentions had been good, but he was too angry to acknowledge it. Standing up in a huff, he quietly went back to his room.

He cast a charm on his bag so that it would be weightless and able to hold plenty of things. In it, he placed clothes, food, bottles of water, a map, a book of spells, and various other things. Once he was satisfied that he had everything he'd need, Harry turned to Hedwig. "Are you coming with me?" he asked her, to which she hooted softly. He knew that he couldn't take Laurel, so he let her sleep peacefully while he placed his bag on his back. Grabbing a quill and piece of paper, he wrote: _You lied _on it, and placed it upon the copy of the Daily Prophet. With one last look at his room, he mounted his Firebolt and flew out the window, Hedwig at his heals.

_I'm sorry Sirius, Remus, but I cannot allow Renwick to achieve what he wants. I will find him and get rid of him. For the first time ever, I found adults who I love, and who love me in return. You will __**not **__be killed or harmed by him, not if I can help it. _Harry knew that right now, he stood little chance against a Death Eater, but in his bag were advanced spell books that he'd taken from Sirius and Remus. He'd study them until he mastered many of the spells, and then he'd find Renwick and kill him, if he didn't die first.


	17. The Queen of Egypt

It was now January 1st, the start of the New Year. Harry had been gone for six months now and was also fourteen. For six months he traveled under his cloak or as his animagus form so that he could remain hidden from those who were looking for him. All over England were missing-child posters with his face on them. The only people he had had contact with were Ron and Hermione, and even then it was only a brief conversation here and there. From what they had told him, Sirius and Remus were extremely worried and upset. Hermione said that Sirius was in tears as he showed them the two-word note he'd left behind. Harry was concerned for his guardians' well-being, but it didn't stop him from pursuing Renwick. It had also taken a lot of effort to convince Ron and Hermione not to blab to the adults about his whereabouts. They were worried he'd get himself killed when fighting Renwick, but Harry had told them about all the new spells he had learned.

When Harry had first left the mansion, he'd set up a tent somewhere outside of London and began learning and putting up enchantments to keep others from detecting him. Afterwards, he spent the months studying hard to learn all different types of defensive and offensive spells. Nightmares often plagued his sleep, but they were easy to live with, and Renwick had only visited Harry a few times since he'd left. Currently, Harry was spending his days searching for Renwick and was chasing leads that came from the Daily Prophet that Hedwig brought him daily.

Although Harry had written to Ron and Hermione, he had not sent a single letter to Sirius or Remus. A part of him was still angry over the information they had kept from him. Did they not think Harry was old enough to handle knowing Renwick was still out there? Even though Harry knew it was irrational and stupid of him to run away, he found it exhilarating to be free of the rules. Shortly after his escape, he'd found an experienced wizard who'd been successful in removing the _trace _from him. No one had any hopes of finding him. Deep down, Harry sincerely missed Sirius and Remus, but he tried not to think about them. One day, he'd return to them and he really hoped that they didn't hate him for what he had done.

One of Harry's darker accomplishments after leaving the security of home was that he'd learnt the three Unforgiveable Curses. When the time came, he knew that he would use the killing curse in order to get rid of Renwick. The thought scared him a lot, that he'd have to commit a murder, but in this situation it was either kill or be killed, and Harry was not willing to risk anyone else's lives.

Wandering down the streets of London as a giant dog, Harry was heading to a building where Renwick was said to have been seen the day prior. As he walked up to the address, he was shocked to see an old, rusty warehouse. _What would Renwick have been doing here? _The building was large, but looked abandoned and if it hadn't been entered in decades. Nosing open the large door, Harry snuck inside and was immediately met with a terrible smell. It burned his canine nose and stung his eyes.

Looking around, the warehouse didn't look like much. It was just an empty room filled with dust and cobwebs. As he turned to leave, his eye caught the glint of something silver on the floor. Turning around, he walked over and inspected it; it was a handle for a door leading into the floor. Shifting into his human form, Harry grasped the handle in a firm grip and pulled the heavy door. It was locked. He murmured a soft: "_Alohomora_" and pulled the door open. As it opened, the stench grew worse. Peering down into the dark cellar, Harry whispered "_Lumos._"

A latter was leaning against the floor and he climbed down it for several steps before landing on concrete flooring. At his presence, the underground corridor was suddenly illuminated by torches that lined the walls. The sudden brightness momentarily blinded him, but as his eyes recovered, he gasped at what he saw. The long concrete hallway was being used as a cell. Bodies were chained to the wall, some men, some women, and even a few children. All of them were dead, and some were decomposing. Tears pricked Harry's eyes as he turned and hurled up the small meal of fruit he had eaten that morning. Walking further down the corridor, Harry gently called out to see if anyone was still alive. After he approached the end of the hallway, a faint voice responded. "Help me, please…"

Turning on the spot Harry looked down to see a young girl, no older than seven, peering up at him from where she was chained to the wall. Other than being a bit dirty and malnourished, she looked fine. Her hair was long and brown, and she had large brown eyes and a small pointed nose. Harry knelt down in front of her. "What happened here?" he asked softly as he broke off the chains securing her to the wall with a few spells. (He knew she was from the magical world because she was wearing an old ripped pair of robes)

"We were kidnapped, all of us individually and brought here to be food for the Dementors," the girl said with a shudder as Harry helped her to her feet. A strange look crossed her features before she gasped. "You're Harry Potter! Uncle Sirius is losing his mind because of you being missing!"

Shock filled Harry. "You know Sirius?"

The small girl nodded her head as Harry led her from the corridor and helped her up the latter. "My older sister is Nymphadora Tonks; I'm Cleopatra Tonks. Sirius and I met for the first time shortly after your disappearance. I've been keeping him company when he wasn't out searching for you, but one day when I went outside for a while, I wandered too far and was kidnapped by an ugly hairy man named Greyback."

Harry jerked at the name. _Greyback took these people here._ "How old are you Cleopatra?"

"Just call me Cleo," she said in a tone, much like her older sister's. Harry had met Tonks only a handful of times, but she'd always made sure that no one called her Nymphadora. "And I'm nine." Harry was surprised at her age since she looked so young.

As they exit the warehouse, Harry guided the young girl into the bushes so they wouldn't be seen. "I'm going to change into a dog and bring you to the Ministry building, ok?"

The girl nodded but held up her hand. "How come you ran away? Uncle Sirius and Mr. Remus are out of their minds with worry. Do you realize that you've been gone for six months already? You're missing your fourth year at Hogwarts, as are Hermione and Ron." Harry knew that Hermione and Ron had taken a year off to help "look" for Harry. He wished they wouldn't, but they had said "If we're going to keep your whereabouts quiet, than we are not returning to Hogwarts until you do." He'd had no other choice than to concede.

"I have my reasons," Harry said to Cleopatra. He transformed into a dog and signaled for her to climb on. Although she was a bit heavy, he was still able to run at ease with her on his back. Throughout the streets of London, a lot of people did double takes as they spotted a huge dog running with a malnourished child on its back, but no one moved to stop them. A pang went through Harry's heart as he saw his missing poster lining up and down the streets. Shaking his head, he pushed on for an hour until they arrived out front of the Ministry.

As he halted, the girl slid off of his back. Reaching down, she placed a kiss on his forehead and murmured "Thanks for saving me Harry. I won't tell anyone I saw you." He nodded his thanks.

Just as he was turning to start his run back to his tent, a strangled familiar voice choked out his name. "H-Harry?" Looking in front of him, he saw Sirius walking out of the ministry. Harry almost let out a whimper at the sight of his godfather. Sirius was extremely thin and had dark circles under his eyes. More grey hair was mixed with his usual black than he had ever seen before. A dozen expressions crossed Sirius' face at once; anger, love, sorrow, fury, happiness, confusion, anxiety… "Harry, is that you?"


	18. A Short Battle

Harry was freaking out.

Sirius was looking at him, and recognizing him. He had gone six months without being seen, and now before he could finish his task he'd been spotted. As his godfather took a step towards him, Harry turned and ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction. Legs burning, he practically flew from adrenaline. "HARRY!" Sirius shouted from behind him. Risking a glance over his shoulder, Harry saw that Sirius had transformed into Snuffles, and was chasing him at a fast pace. _No! I have to outrun him, I have to! I can't be stopped now, not when I'm so close to finding Renwick. _

Running at top speed, Harry knew that his puppy limbs wouldn't be enough to outrun Sirius for long. Darting in between people, he ran through the streets of London, turning corners wherever he could in failed attempts to throw Sirius off. Said godfather was advancing on him quickly, and a part of Harry was curious to know what measures Sirius would go to, to get him to stop fleeing. Shaking his head, he fled out of London and back towards the warehouse. _I should at least show him what I found…_

As Harry was only a few yards away from the rusty building, something hard slammed into him from behind, sending him flying across the dirt. Landing painfully, he let out a whimper as something in his shoulder cracked. Shaking his head, he stood up and held up his wounded foreleg. Looking over to the direction he was hit, he almost fell over at the sight. Renwick had hit him with a blunt-force spell, and was now holding a canine Sirius by the scruff of his neck with his wand pressed to Sirius' forehead. Harry transformed immediately, wincing as his cracked left shoulder reformed into a human one. His good hand grabbed his wand and held it out in front of him.

Renwick let out a vicious chuckle. "Ah, Mr. Potter. After tailing me for sixth months and hiding away from your godfather, you failed to protect him from me."

"Let him go!" Harry snapped; his face flushed with anger. He'd gone too far to lose everything because he did a good deed and saved a little girl. "Let him go and fight me to the death, unless you're too big of a coward." Harry was void of all fear at this point. Seeing Sirius at wand point was only fueling his anger all the more.

A dark look crossed over Renwick's face. "What makes you think you could win against me? You're only a child Potter, uneducated in the art of dueling."

Harry scoffed and laughed menacingly, slightly surprising himself. "Then this fight should be easy for you Renwick. Come on and fight me like the man you wish you could be." Harry held his wand at the ready, watching Renwick with an amused look.

Renwick through Sirius aside roughly and turned his wand upon Harry as he set up a barricade around them, blocking Sirius from intervening. From the corner of his eye, Harry watched as Sirius turned into his human form and was banging on the wall with tears in his eyes. "HARRY! Don't do this!" Sirius shouted as he sent several futile curses at the barrier.

"It'll be fine Sirius," Harry snapped as he turned to face Renwick, tuning out Sirius. "To the death."

"To the death," Renwick agreed with a curt nod. "_Confringo!_" Harry sent out a blocking spell, and watched Renwick's face as he blocked the curse.

"You've learned some new moves, have you? Don't get to cocky," the Death Eater snapped, anger filling his marred features.

"_Incarcerous!_" Harry shouted as ropes appeared and wrapped around Renwick. The man cursed loudly and muttered a counter curse, making the ropes disappear. "_Stupefy!_"

Renwick dodged the spell and shouted "_Crucio!_" With an ounce of luck, the spell missed Harry. They continued to toss spells back and forth, injuring each other with blasts and curses. Renwick was bleeding from the shoulder and thigh, while Harry was bleeding from the torso and arm. Plus, Harry's cracked shoulder was causing some pain. They circled back and forth while Sirius was shouting continuously at the barrier that blocked him from intervening.

As exhaustion began to fill Harry, a sudden curse came to his mind. Holding his wand out and pointing straight at Renwick, he shouted "_Sectumsempra!_" It was the first dark spell Harry had cast, but it had a wonderful affect. Several large gashes appeared on Renwick's torso and the man collapsed to the dirt. Blood pooled around him, and Harry felt a bit queasy as the man bled proficiently.

Footsteps approached Harry and he realized the barrier had been brought down. "Harry?" Sirius asked softly, his voice hoarse from shouting.

Harry turned his back to the man. "You lied to me, straight to my face. You _told _me that he was captured, and meanwhile he's running around plotting the deaths of those I care about. I can't believe that the two men I thought I could trust the most _lied_ to me like that about something so serious."

"Harry…" Sirius croaked out. Harry could practically hear the tears that the older man was shedding. "We did it to protect you. Look what you did when you found out! We just tried to prevent this from happening."

"I need more time," Harry said as he knelt down next to the unconscious Renwick. Reaching down, he grabbed Renwick by the shoulders and used his new ability of Apparation, to Disapparate to the Ministry of Magic with a loud _crack_, leaving Sirius behind.


	19. The Beginning Steps to Forgiveness

As Harry appeared in the center of the front hallway of the Ministry, a loud gasp came from everyone around him. Keeping a firm grip on Renwick, he watched as several officials approached him, pushing back the people who began to crowd around. "Harry Potter," said a male official. "Did you do this to Renwick?"

Nodding stiffly, Harry stood up while the officials grabbed the bleeding man. "Thanks for your help Mr. Potter. There will be a trial for this man, but it won't be necessary for you or your guardians to attend. Due to the stress you've put the people you care about through, I recommend that you go spend some time reconciling with your family and friends."

A pained look crossed Harry's face as he shook his head. "I'm afraid I'm not ready yet, and I also need to see a healer."

"Very well, follow Mrs. Vange here up to the infirmary," the man said, indicating to a short plump woman with grey hair. Nodding, Harry followed behind the woman across the Ministry.

"You've had everyone worried sick Mr. Potter," Mrs. Vange said, breaking the uncomfortable silence as they walked deep within the building. "The Weasleys, Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, and many others are extremely worried about you."

Supporting his shoulder with his good hand, he said "I know they've been worried, and for that I'm sorry. However, lying to me is one of the worst things that they could have done to me, and I don't think I'm ready to forgive them."

As Mrs. Vange walked him into the infirmary where he sat on a small bed with white sheets, she made a disapproving clucking noise with her tongue. "You have no idea what they've gone through in the past six months. Sirius and Remus were always angry, crying, shouting, sobbing, or moping when they weren't out searching for you. I've never seen two men hate themselves more than them. They blame themselves for your running away, and they are sorrier than you could ever imagine. At one point, we'd found a body of a boy who looked like you, but his face was marred by a curse that had killed him. When we told Sirius that we may have found you dead, he said he'd die himself it was you. Those men are broken, Harry. You need to grow up and forgive them. They didn't tell you that Renwick was alive because they knew you'd do something rash. All you managed to do was prove their theory right."

Tears spilled over Harry's cheeks as he absorbed what the woman said. "I want to forgive them, I really do… It's just so hard. My parents died because of a lying traitor, so un-honesty is something I cannot stand. By them lying to me like that…" Harry broke off.

Remaining quiet, she turned and left in a huff, leaving him with the nurse who began forcing healing potions down his throat. Once he was fully healed, Harry fell asleep on the bed in a dreamless sleep.


	20. Forgiveness and Healing

"Mr. Potter, wake up!" said a female voice, rousing Harry from his sleep. Looking above him, he was shocked to realize that he'd fallen asleep with his glasses still on. Looming over him was the nurse who had healed his injuries earlier. "It's about time Mr. Potter. You're guardians are waiting to see you." Shock ran through him.

"I don't want to speak with them," he said, hugging his middle. He felt like he was going to fall apart at any moment. Guilt was still eating at him for how bad he'd caused everything to go, but he was also still angry about Sirius and Remus lying to him.

The nurse looked at him sternly. "It is time for you to grow up Mr. Potter. They've done nothing wrong, and you're acting like a temperamental child. You've put the two of them, along with many others, through hell and you need to move past all that's happened. If not, then you're going to be forced into the foster system."

Anger pumped through him at her words, and he glared at her firmly. "Send them in then," he said with a scowl, although he did recognize the truth in her words. _Am I acting foolish? _Fear had eaten at Harry when Renwick had been on the loose, and that had sparked his protectiveness over his guardians. Never once did he think he'd been acting like a child in doing so, but now he was starting to have second thoughts.

The nurse left, leaving him in the room alone. Standing up, he straightened his robes and gave a futile effort to flatten his hair. Looking in the mirror by his bed, he knew that with the bandages and scar on his neck that he was a sore sight. Feeling a bit sore, he winced as he sat on the foot of his bed, waiting impatiently for Sirius and Remus to enter.

After a few minutes, the door opened and in walked Sirius and Remus. Harry swallowed a lump in his throat as he looked at the two men. Sirius looked worse; thin, bags under his eyes, and was extremely pale. Remus, whom Harry hadn't seen since he left six months ago, looked terrible. His hair was almost entirely gray, and he was almost as thin as Sirius. Dark bags sat under his eyes, and he was an odd gray color. Harry stood up, watching as the door shut behind them, shutting the three of them up in the infirmary. An unmeasurable silence drowned on between them.

Harry sighed. _I guess if someone's going to start, it might as well be me. _"I can't ask you to understand why I did what I did. I don't regret it, and I'd do it again if I felt that I had to. The only thing I regret, and can never forgive myself for, was putting you guys through such a hard time. Many days passed where I wished I had said good bye in a better way, or at least spoke to you before I left, but then I think about what happened. You both lied to me about Renwick's capture. You must have known that I'd eventually find out and act rashly from anger. After six months of being alone and think about what occurred, I still harbor an anger at the two of you for lying. By doing so, you carelessly left me in the dark and that was dangerous for you and for me." Taking a deep breath, Harry sat back down on his bed and watched his guardians absorb the information with stoic expressions.

After a long minute, Remus spoke in a hoarse voice. "Harry. Lying to you was not our intention in the beginning. Sirius and I had spoken about ways in which we could calmly tell you that Renwick was still free and keep you from doing something reckless. Neither of us has experience being parental figures, and we were trying desperately to get it right. Keeping the truth from you proved not to be helpful, and we are both sorry for what that put you through. Betraying your trust was never our intention. We were just trying to prevent exactly what happened." Remus ran a hand through his graying hair and looked at Harry nervously.

"What you did was also reckless and irrational," Sirius said, trying to sound firm. "You're only fourteen and yet you ran away to take on a dangerous man. We never had any idea if you were still alive or not! The stress and worry we went through, the continuous searches… If you ever do something like that again Harry, I don't think Remus or I will live through it. When we got called in to identify if it was your body they had found, we both lost ourselves. You can't do anything like that again Harry, never."

Guilt was eating through Harry's insides as he fidgeted with his wand. "I know, and I won't. I'll never forgive myself for what happened, but nevertheless, I am sorry. You both didn't deserve what I put you through, but I needed to make sure that Renwick couldn't come back. I didn't want to the nightmares he sent to me, to become reality. That would have destroyed me. I also understand if you don't forgive me; heck, I understand if you hate me and want me out of your lives. I'll go back to the Dursley's if you want, or I'll even go into the foster system if it makes everything easier."

Shock and anger crossed both men's features. "Harry!" Remus choked out. "We'd never send you away!"

"How could you think that?" Sirius gasped. "Hate you? The words are poison in my mouth. We love you Harry and you'll be coming back to live with us. No ifs, ands, or buts, about it."

Harry couldn't keep the goofy grin from crossing his features as he launched himself at them. Wrapping an arm around each of them, they shared a fierce hug. A thought struck Harry about how he'd truly missed the hugs from these two men. Tightening his grip, he couldn't stop a few tears of joy that slipped from his eyes. "Thank you," he choked out.

Both men squeezed Harry tightly in response. "We're not going to let you go again Harry," Sirius warned as he placed a kiss on his godson's head.

"Never," Remus agreed.

"I love you, both of you. Never in all my life could I have thought that I would love, and be loved in return by, parents. Thank You."


	21. Author's Note: (SEQUEL)

**AN: Sequel is now up! It is called Life Is Never Easy. **

** s/10664465/1/Life-Is-Never-Easy**


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